Suffield, Alberta

Searching for Information about Suffield ...

We have been working on our Gazetteer for a long time and while we have collected a lot of information, much of the detail is still missing. Keep in mind that whenever we find the mention of a community, we simply add it to our list so that we can go back and do further research. While this has proven a good way of finding communities, it has created more questions than answers. If you can, we would appreciate your help in answering these accumulating questions.

Where appropriate, please include the GPS coordinates. The easiest way to find the latitude and longitude is to visit our Interactive Map for Suffield.

We usually switch the map to 'Satellite' mode and zoom-in as needed. You can then move the Map Marker to the desired location (you'll see a cross-hair as you move the Marker). When you release the Marker, the Latitude/Longitude for the Marker will be found just below the map and to the right. Just copy/paste those numbers into your note.

The first point that we would like to make is that our data contains errors. Some of the errors result from our methodologies and others occur while entering our findings. That said, the majority of the errors come from our reference documents, even documents that should be definitive. The problem is identifying the errors. As you read through our pages about Suffield and find errors, please let us know - we want to be accurate.

The last point that we want to make is that we do our updates in blocks and with over 160,000 communities in our Gazetteer, it can be months between updates. We just wanted to warn you that if you sent us a note today, it may be days or months before the correction actually appears on our Gazetteer. While this seems to be a long time, please remember that it's just my wife and myself doing the work.

Our Wishlist For Suffield ...

In the case of Suffield, we are searching for the following information.

While we have added Suffield to our Gazetteer, we don't have any information about how large it might be or even if it still exists. Is it a cluster of houses and buildings or is the community scattered throughout the area. If it's gone, have all traces of Suffield been erased or is there some kind of indication of where it was located?

If gone, we use three broad categories to describe its status:

The community is Historic and there is little to no evidence that can be found at its location.

A Ghost Town has left some evidence that it existed, but is without residents. At a minimum, there should be foundations or a cemetery. We also use Ghost Town with Ruins to describe when things like buildings or artifacts such as abandoned equipment still remain - in other words, the classic movie Ghost Town.

We use Shadow Town to describe a community that still has residents, but which had a much larger presence in the past. Like the Ghost Town with Ruins, we use Shadow Town with Ruins when abandoned buildings and/or artifacts from the communities past can still be found.

Just a reminder: Ghost and Shadow Towns are frequently located on private property and the owner's rights need to be respected. Always be careful, ruins can have hidden dangers.

How do the people of Suffield refer to themselves (also known as a Denomyn)?<1> For example, a person from Alberta is called a Albertan. In the same way, how would a resident of Suffield be called?

Do you know when the community was founded or settled?

What is the story behind the name of Suffield (also known as a Toponym)?

Many communities are founded with one name and then eventually change to something else. Do you know any of these previous names, the approximate date and the reason for the change? If there was more than one name change, do you know those names and the order in which they occurred?

Are there alternate names for Suffield, variations in the spelling, etc?

Are there nicknames, slogans or sobriquets for Suffield?

Do we have the correct time zone for Suffield?

Do you know the postal code(s) for Suffield?

Do you know if there is an official website for Suffield?

Is there a Chamber of Commerce website for Suffield?

If there is a Community Association, does it have a website?

Is there a Junior League website?

Do you know of any awards or recognitions given to Suffield? Examples include: All American City, Tree City USA, Sustainability Awards, etc. If you know the month and year when it was awarded, please include that as well.

We are looking for descriptions from old books (1800s thru early 1900s), such as Gazetteers and Shipping Guides, that describe Suffield. If you have such a description, please send it to us with the name and year of the book that it came from. If available, please include the author and publisher of the book.

Are there cemeteries in the area? Whether they are large or small, famous or forgotten, we would appreciate it if you would send us their name and GPS coordinates (the latitude/longitude). Even if you don't know the name of a cemetery, please send its coordinates - somebody, someplace, may know its name.

If you're interested, we have a list of nearby cemeteries which are relatively close to Suffield and you can find this list on our Cemetery List for Suffield.

In closing, thank you for any help you can provide. While it might take time for everything to appear on our website, it will make it eventually.

Footnotes ...

<1>

A demonym is the name for a resident of a community which is usually derived from (or is related to) the name of that community. In other words, it's how the residents of Suffield refer to themselves. It's important to note that there aren't any rules for taking a community's name and turning it into a demonym. A demonym is informal and while the majority of Suffield may use one name, keep in mind that others may use something different.